The exhibition "Soaring Swan. On the 145th anniversary of Anna Pavlova's birth"

2026 marks the 145th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. In honor of this date, an exhibition dedicated to one of the world's greatest ballerinas will open on Arbat Street. Visitors will be able to see archival footage showing Anna Pavlova on stage and in rare moments of relaxation between tours, on the set and in the dressing rooms of the world's leading theaters.

The project was prepared by the Moscow Directorate of Mass Events, a subordinate organization of the Moscow Department of Culture, together with Dmitry Yusov, founder of the Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.

Anna Pavlova is a phenomenon of Russian and world ballet, a dancer who has changed attitudes towards the art of ballet in different parts of the world. During her lifetime, Anna Pavlova's name became a legend, and her choreographic miniature "The Swan" later became a symbol of Russian ballet art.

The story of a ballerina is like a fairy tale – having first seen ballet on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater at the age of 8, she decided once and for all to become a ballerina. After passing a rigorous selection process and a large competition, she was accepted into the ballet department of the Imperial Theater School and showed her growing skills during her studies. After graduating from college, she became an artist at the Mariinsky Theatre.

"Having visited abroad several times, having seen the unsatisfactory situation of ballet art in such centers as Paris and Milan, Anna Pavlovna decided to show Russian ballet at all costs," Victor Dandre wrote in his book "Anna Pavlova. Life and legend".

In 22 years of active touring, the ballerina has given about 9,000 performances and performed in remote places where ballet had never been seen before — many of which took place in such remote places as India, Japan, Burma, South Africa and Latin America. It was thanks to Anna Pavlova that the inhabitants of these countries managed to get in touch with the art of ballet for the first time.

Anna Pavlova studied the folklore dance traditions of the countries in which her troupe performed. Later, she incorporated elements of these dances into her performances. Anna Pavlova believed that ballet is a universal language capable of entering into dialogue with the cultures of the world without losing its own essence.

At the stands of the Soaring Swan exhibition, guests will be able to see unique archival photographs from around the world, spanning several decades of Anna Pavlova's brilliant career. The exhibition features photographs from a private collection, many of which have not been shown at exhibitions before.

The audience will see Anna Pavlova in theatrical images for such productions as "The Seasons" (1900), "Armida Pavilion" (1909), "The Dying Swan" (1910s), "Sylphs" (1910), "Rondino" (1916), "Sleeping Beauty" (1916), "Christmas" (1920), "Radha and Krishna" (1920s) and many others.